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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26225626">And they were roommates</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon_drop48/pseuds/lemon_drop48'>lemon_drop48</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tall Girl (2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Himbo, I'm making it right for him, M/M, Stig is a himbo, Tall Girl (2019) - Freeform, This movie sucked so much ass, netflix, no beta we die like men, tall girl, they did my boy Stig so dirty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:35:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,513</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26225626</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemon_drop48/pseuds/lemon_drop48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dunkleman first saw Stig, he knew he was a problem. Jodi liked tall guys, and boy was Stig tall.</p><p>But in an effort to foil Stig from falling for Jodi, he falls for the strong Swede himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Dunkleman/Stig Mohlin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>133</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dunkleman knew he was in love with Jodi. They'd been a pair since elementary school. It'd been him and her against the world, and he was determined for it to always be that way.</p><p>Even if she didn't want anything more than friendship from him.</p><p>"Dunk, get your head out of your ass," Fareeda snapped her fingers in front of his face.</p><p>Dunkleman did stop daydreaming about Jodi, but not without turning his best bitch face on Fareeda first. Couldn't a man get lost in his thoughts of unrequited love beside a locker in peace?</p><p>"We both have to get to class and I don't have time for you to be standing here all dove-eyed in front of my locker." She raised an eyebrow and waved her hand to motion him to the side. He stepped aside, but didn't stop his glare. Fareeda got to work on her combination, not giving him another glance. "Dunk, we're cool and all, but you have got to get over her. It's been too long. Sad, dude."</p><p>She got her books, and they walked their separate ways to their respective classes. She just doesn't understand, he rationalized to himself. She probably hasn't felt this way about anybody. He can't just 'let it go' - he knows Jodi's reading list, for Pete's sake! Knowing everything about someone is the deepest kind of love, and that's what he has with Jodi. For Jodi. Whatever.</p><p> </p><p>He walked into his chem class with milk box in tow. This class was bearable mostly because Jodi was his lab partner in it. But also because once Frederick Hillmeyers set his hair on fire with a Bunsen burner. Good times.</p><p>The day seemed to be perfectly normal at first. He, with his routine cheesy pick-up line. Her, with her daily rejection and self deprecation. And, of course, her constant need for a tall boyfriend. What happened to chivalry, humor, loyalty? Meaningless if you're under six feet these days.</p><p>Something decidedly not perfectly normal walked through the door the second the minute hand indicated the start of class.</p><p>He was tall, that was for sure, but he was so much more. The light from the hallway behind him lit his flowing golden locks like a halo around his head. His body said 'I go to the gym for fun' but if the mystery boy had said he'd never gone to a gym in his life, Dunkleman would believe that he came out of the womb as chiseled as a Greek god. His eyes were hidden from the backlight of the hallway, but he wouldn't be surprised if the second he saw them he got lost in them.</p><p>But all that didn't matter. Because he was tall, and that's what counts in Jodi's book. So this beautiful mystery man was his enemy. God, he hopes he's dumb.</p><p>He is not dumb. He takes one look at the board, a complicated chemical formula the class usually works together with the teacher to solve each morning, and does it himself. Our normally hard-ass teacher nods approvingly with a smile. His smile is blinding when he turns to give Mrs. Jenkins a high-five. Which she returns.</p><p>Dunkleman does not stare at the new transfer student's ass as he goes to his seat and he really doesn't even remember that he was introduced to the class as Stig. Jodi, however, did both of these things.</p><p>And that was the problem.</p><p>Dunkleman doesn't pay much attention to the chem lesson. He's much too busy plotting against his new enemy #1. And stealing glances at said enemy #1. He makes sure he's glaring each time he does.</p><p>He especially makes sure to glare when The Enemy catches him staring and smiles with a little wave. Dunkleman justifies his immediately flushed face with the rationalization of too tight a glare, and definitely not because that was very cute.</p><p>He and Fareeda go with Jodi to her locker after class. Jodi only has eyes for The Enemy, and Fareeda (curse her!) is encouraging her on with some bull about everyone being tall in Sweden.</p><p>Dunkleman tries his best to deter her with a delicately painted word picture. He believes he made a very compelling argument. C-sections are no joke, after all, but evidently not everyone can plan as far into the future as he. He is the only one with a seven year plan, after all.</p><p>Jodi doesn't go talk to Stig in the hallway. They all watch as Kimmi, the queen bee of their school, takes Stig's arm in hers.</p><p>Dunkleman lets out a sigh of relief.</p><p>Jodi's slouch turns into a kind of wilt.</p><p>Fareeda, much to Dunkleman's chagrin, does not stop in her encouragement.</p><p>He spends his last class of the day in a cycle of fuming over The Enemy and then comforting himself with the reminder that, for the first time ever, Kimmi has done something that works in his favor.</p><p>So when he walks out to his mom's car to be picked up from a frankly long day of school, the last thing he wants to be reminded of is Stig. But why would his mother know anything about some Swedish transfer?</p><p>The Enemy is sitting shotgun beside Mom. Mom is sitting next to The Enemy. And they're both grinning like fools.</p><p>He sprung up the seat like an excitable puppy. His accented "Surprise!" meshed with Mom's. They were going to be Stig's host family. The Swedish fiend was going to live with him.</p><p>Dunkleman, for all his creative word paintings, could not imagine a worse thing to happen to him.</p><p>Then his mom made him sit in the back even though shotgun is his seat and The Enemy would've moved to the back if she hadn't stopped him. Dunkleman crossed his arms and slouched as angrily as he could muster after buckling in.</p><p>Okay, surely now nothing worse could happen to him. It's at that point the Enemy gives him a smile and a thumbs up in the rearview mirror. Dunkleman rolled his eyes.</p><p>There's nothing he wants to do more than fall face-first into his bed and pass out immediately. Possibly never wake up. Hopefully wake up and have all this be some terrible and really weirdly fucked up dream.</p><p>He didn't wait for his mom or Stig as he got out of the car. He was headed straight for his room. Straight for peace and normalcy and a strong depression nap. He went through the house faster than normal, and opened the door to his room a little too hard.</p><p>His bed is not at the center of the room. His bed is gone.</p><p>There's a bunk bed in its place. Both bunks are queen-sized, similar to his old bed. How had Mom managed to not only get his bed out but assemble this beast of a bunk bed while he was at school? She worked during the day. Did she hire someone to steal his bed?</p><p>It was too much, and Dunkleman had already handled a lot in his opinion. So he looked at the bed from the doorway. Set his milk crate down next to the door. And lied down right there in the doorway.</p><p>This is it, he thought, staring at the ceiling. This is the end of good ol' Dunkleman. May he rest in peace.</p><p>He doesn't get long to contemplate his death alone on the floor. Overhead lights are blocked by a large figure.</p><p>"So, uh, do you need help up?"</p><p>Dunkleman groans.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't... have any justification for this. Lmao enjoy</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dunkleman is convinced waking up at 7am has never been harder.</p><p>He had won top bunk by climbing up first and refusing to talk to the ridiculously cheery Swedish boy below him. However, as he groggily woke up, the thought of climbing down the ladder felt like a feat comparable to climbing a mountain.</p><p>Dunkleman is not naturally an early riser, but today was made much worse by his lack of sleep the night before. It turns out, Sweds snore like a dying dumptruck. Or at least this Swed did. All night.</p><p>When he does get out of bed, he thinks that it is possible he has never been angrier at a person in his whole life.</p><p>He shuffles through the hallway towards the bathroom. God he hopes his eye bags aren't too noticeable.</p><p>He's glaring. He's pissed, he's tired, he wants the transfer student gone he wants his room back and-</p><p>"Dunkers! G'mornin!"</p><p>Stig is in the bathroom, a toothbrush jammed in his mouth even as he smiles radiantly around it.</p><p>Dunkleman is tired, he thinks. That's it. That's the only reason he calmed at the sight of the other boy. It's not because 'who could stay mad at a man that looks like the human embodiment of a golden retriever puppy?'</p><p>The answer is Dunkleman.</p><p>Dunkleman can stay mad, and he will. Maybe he'll just have to look away from that smile.</p><p>His mom makes his favorite breakfast that morning, pancakes and strawberries. He hopes it's meant to be an apology, but it just as likely could be a nice meal for their guest's first breakfast.</p><p>They both walk out the door with a wave to his mother. Stig says something along the lines of lead the way, and Dunkleman starts off with a sigh, getting ready for the inevitability of small talk.</p><p>He's pleasantly surprised at Stig's relative quiet for most of their walk to school. He whistles a few melodies Dunkleman doesn't recognize, and oohs and ahs at a few mushrooms popping up after the rain a couple days ago and a couple birds.</p><p>It's on the last bit that he says something.</p><p>"Dunkers, we're friends, right?"</p><p>He had paused. His tone was still light, happy, but there was a real question in there.</p><p>Dunkleman turned around.</p><p>This is a deciding point. This is where he could say 'no', leave him behind, and go see Jodi as normal. He could avoid him, make it clear he wanted nothing to do with him. He had done nothing than be trouble for him so far, hadn't he?</p><p>So why did he want to say yes? Maybe because Stig can't help that he snores so deeply he shakes the bunk bed? Or that he's built like some kind of super tall Calvin Klein model?</p><p>Dunkleman turns around and shifts his milk crate a little awkwardly.</p><p>"Yeah, we're friends. C'mon, we've got to be early enough for me to give you a tour before Jodi gets to first block."</p><p>Stig beams, and continues walking with a bit of pep in his step.</p><p>Dunkleman thinks he's made the right choice. Stig isn't a bad guy, and his small happy laugh as he pats Dunkleman's shoulder is oddly enough reward for now. If being Stig's friend also gives him a chance to run interference between him and Jodi, then that's just an added bonus.</p><p>It's after second block that Dunkleman sees Stig again. He had promised him that morning he'd walk to lunch with him, show him how to properly compliment American lunch ladies so they give you an extra mozzarella bread stick, the whole nine yards.</p><p>It's on the way to the cafeteria that Dunkleman hears the completely unexpected.</p><p>"Ya, back home I was the scrawniest, shortest, least funny. Not popular." Stig said.</p><p>Dunkleman took a moment to admire Stig's toned arms before he replied. "I mean I can see the scrawny thing, but least funny? C'mon man." He grinned and laughed a bit. "But really, dude, who was the most popular guy at your school back in Sweden?"</p><p>Stig immediately replied with some foreign name Dunkleman immediately forgot, but that didn't matter.</p><p>"Okay, so now you have the chance to be the him of this school! You aren't scrawny or short here, and girls love a foreigner." Dunkleman flourishes a bit with his statement, hoping Stig still understand the excitement.</p><p>"I am... Not the loser?"</p><p>And isn't that a little heartbreaking. But Stig is smiling and - wait a second Dunkleman is having a thought.</p><p>"Aw, man, you were the me of Sweden, weren't you?" Dunkleman groaned.</p><p>Stig let out a belly laugh and hooked his arm around Dunkleman's shoulder. "I guess I was." He's still smiling, though, and when he says it it doesn't sound quite as bad.</p><p>When they get to the lunch room, obviously the first person Dunkleman sees is Jodi. She hasn't seen him yet, though, so he can still run interference. He leads Stig the lunch line a little too quickly, but if he notices, the other boy doesn't say anything about it. </p><p>They're chatting about the word meatball and getting their food when Kimmi approaches them with a sickening smile.</p><p>Well, approaches Stig would be more accurate.</p><p>"Hey, Stig. Remember me? Kimmi, from yesterday." She adds a fake laugh at the end as if it's a joke. Who could forget Kimmi? Hahaha. Dunkleman rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Kimmi! Of course I remember you!" Stig is, once again, all smiles. "Dunkers! Have you met Kimmi? Kimmi, this is my friend-"</p><p>Dunkleman puts on a grin that's not very convincing, but pats his friend on the shoulder before he can keep on. "We've met."</p><p>"Ah, right of course! Same school. Kimmi, where are you eating? We'll join you," Stig says.</p><p>He had completely misread the situation. How the happy idiot couldn't smell the sickly stink of rich bitch, Dunkleman didn't know.</p><p>But Kimmi was smiling and leading them to a table so they were in it now.</p><p>The three of them sat down at a table with every other chair occupied by a skinny popular girl.</p><p>"So... ladies," Dunkleman said.</p><p>Not a single one replied. They were all looking between Kimmi and Stig like some weird cult Dunkleman wasn't in the loop about.</p><p>Stig, to his credit, did not seem perturbed by the freaky eyes.</p><p>"Diana, we have English together, right?"</p><p>For a second she looked to Stig and began to smile as if she were going to respond, but then she caught Kimmi's eye again. They had a mini staring match, and then the girl just ... got up an walked away.</p><p>"Bye, Diana," Stig tried. She didn't reply. "Did I get her name wrong?"</p><p>He and Dunkleman both just got more confused as one by one a girl would make some kind of eye contact of death with Kimmi and then leave the table. Stig tried to say goodbye to each of them, but after the third cold shoulder Dunkleman was tempted to tell him just to give it up.</p><p>After ten minutes of pretty much only Stig talking and some awkward silent eating, only Kimmi, Stig, and Dunkleman were left at the table.</p><p>She smiled as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and turned to Stig. "So how's Bio?"</p><p>He looked confused, so Dunkleman supplemented "Biology class."</p><p>"Oh!" His whole body seemed to perk up in happiness. "Yes, my biology class is going well. Only one class so far but I like the subject very much and the teacher even gave me a high-five," Stig said with a large smile.</p><p>Dunkleman doesn't think he's ever seen Kimmi tolerate another person saying more than a single sentence to her that wasn't flattery. And yet she seemed ... interested?</p><p>"Tell her about the chemical formula thingy," Dunkleman said.</p><p>Last night at dinner his mom had asked Stig a similar question, and he had gone off on this long tangent about a whole lot of math and other nerd stuff Dunkleman didn't understand. It was boring and long, but something that Stig was passionate about for whatever reason.</p><p>Stig hesitated right now, though. "I don't know if Kimmi wants to hear about that..." He rubbed the back of his neck, obviously a bit embarrassed.</p><p>"Oh, I would love to, Stig," Kimmi said. She looked at his eyes and put a hand on his arm.</p><p>Dunkleman didn't know why this made him want to pry her fingers off one by one, but in that moment he wanted nothing more.</p><p>Kimmi let go, though, and Stig happily jumped into his chemical rant.</p><p>Kimmi seemed to follow much better than Dunkleman could, nodding and interjecting tidbits.</p><p>They talked until the end of lunch about niche math history or whatever while Dunkleman enjoyed his meatball and tried not to glare too hard at the back of Kimmi's head.</p><p>The bell rang and they found that Kimmi was headed in a different direction than them, so they said their byes and went in the direction of their next class.</p><p>"You don't have to be jealous, Dunkers. I can have other friends and you'll still be my best guy," Stig said, seemingly out of nowhere.</p><p>Dunkleman nearly tripped over nothing.</p><p>"I am not jealous of that she-hag."</p><p>Stig nodded, as if he definitely didn't believe him.</p><p>They were going to different rooms before Dunkleman could continue to defend his honor.</p><p>"See you after school!" Stig shouted down the hallway. Dunkleman didn't look back, just shook his head with a smile as he stepped into the classroom.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So... You and Stig are pretty cozy, huh?" Fareeda said.</p><p>Dunkleman started to turn around to deny, but Fareeda was looking at Jodi. Suddenly he had a different problem.</p><p>Jodi shook her head. "I don't think so. I mean - we've talked a few times, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't think of me that way."</p><p>Dunkleman could have whooped. Fareeda was not on the same page.</p><p>"Girl, there's that defeatist attitude of yours! I'm sick of it. You need to grow some balls and just ask him out!" Fareeda said, wagging her hands around like she always did when she got worked up.</p><p>"Or you could not do that!" Dunkleman spoke up.</p><p>Fareeda raised an eyebrow at him. "Why do you care? Other than your weird Jodi obsession, of course."</p><p>"Still just the 'obsession', thank you. Though I prefer to call it unifying loyalty," Dunkleman replied much more calmly.</p><p>Jodi started walking away from the lockers. It was the end of the day, and the end of a Friday at that, so they were all eager to get home. Fareeda and Dunkleman followed after her.</p><p>"I just don't think I have the confidence to ask out a guy I don't think is interested," Jodi said.</p><p>"And he isn't," Dunkleman supplied.</p><p>Fareeda shoved him. "Look Jodi, you're just self-conscious because of your height. You've finally found a guy that meets your weird standards, so at least try to give it a shot."</p><p>Dunkleman wanted to protest, but Jodi waved them both off. "Whatever, I'll think about it."</p><p>From there the conversation turns to Fareeda's theory that her math teacher is a vampire, and the topic of Stig is lost.</p><p>"Have you ever seen him outside? Or with the blinds up in his room? No, because..." Fareeda kept on, so Dunkleman pulled out his phone.</p><p>Dunkleman texted Stig and his mother that he was getting a smoothie with Jodi and Fareeda, so he'd walk home instead of getting a ride.</p><p>enjoy smoothie :)👍 - Stig</p><p>Dunkleman snorted quietly before putting his phone back in his pocket.</p><p>It took him a second to realize Fareeda had stopped talking and was now looking at him.</p><p>"Who were you texting, Dunk?" Fareeda asked, a little too mischievously.</p><p>"Oh Fareeda, don't bully him too much. We should be glad he's into a girl that isn't me. I know I am," Jodi said with a laugh.</p><p>"It's not like that - at all. Jodi you're my one and only, of course. It was just Stig," Dunkleman said.</p><p>Fareeda hummed and for a moment she was too quiet for Dunkleman's comfort. She looked back at him and started to open her mouth to say something, but Jodi didn't notice and talked over her.</p><p>"Darn, I was hoping you'd finally moved on," Jodi said. "Still holding out for a girl to catch your eye."</p><p>Dunkleman said a cheesy line about Jodi being the apple of his eye, but his heart wasn't in it. He was too busy looking over his shoulder at Fareeda.</p><p>She didn't try to say anything again, and quickly joined back into the conversation. But she'd given him a long look before doing so, and Dunkleman still didn't know what she was going to say.</p><p>They got smoothies and chatted the whole time without another mention of Stig. So by the time Dunkleman walked home, the other boy and mentions of him were far from the front of his mind.</p><p>He opened the door to his home to the smell of beef and something ... Slightly sweet? It was the smell of warm home cooking.</p><p>"Smells great! What's for dinner, Mo -" Dunkleman called out as he rounded the corner leading to the kitchen. He stopped when he saw that it was not his mother cooking, but instead Stig.</p><p>Stig stood at the stove with Dunkleman's mom's apron on that read 'Feeling good from my head to-mah-toes' with little tomatoes embroidered around it.</p><p>"Oh, Dunkers! Welcome back, how was smoothies?" Stig said. "Oh! And I'm making some beef stew for dinner. Your mother's at work, so I offered to help out."</p><p>"Uh - cool!" Dunkleman said too quickly.</p><p>He started to turn away, just to get out of what was too quickly turning into an awkward conversation.</p><p>"Oh hey, before you leave. Dinner will be done in about 10." Stig was facing the pot he was carefully attending to as he talked more than he was facing Dunkleman, but he could still see how he smiled as he talked.</p><p>Stig's smile was not a point of interest, though. Barely a passing notice, really.</p><p>"Uh, great - I'll see you then I guess," Dunkleman said and then promptly turned away as quickly as he could.</p><p>'See you then' is not what you say to someone eating dinner with you in ten minutes, but the best he can do at this point is clean up and calm down.</p><p>He heads back with the intent of offering his help in maybe serving the meal or cleaning some dishes.</p><p>Dunkleman stops, though, at the sound of singing.</p><p>Stig's voice carries as he sings a song that Dunkleman assumes is in swedish. The foreign words somehow feel melancholy and optimistic all at once.</p><p>He's not sure how long he stands there, but he snaps out of whatever semi trance he was in when he hears Stig yell a heavily accented "Aw shit!"</p><p>He turns the corner to see Stig cradling his hand, blowing on his pointer finger.</p><p>"Are you okay?" Dunkleman said. As if you didn't just hear him yell out in pain. Dumbass.</p><p>Stig looks up a little startled, and then smiles as a blush starts redden his cheeks.</p><p>"Oh, yeah. No worry, Dunkers, I just burnt myself a bit on this pot," Stig said, still holding his finger.</p><p>"Wait here a second, I'll be right back," Dunkleman said, before heading towards the back door.</p><p>Out back was where Mom kept her aloe plant, which she used any time either of them got burnt in the kitchen.</p><p>Dunkleman snapped of a piece and brought it back in. He grabbed a knife and sliced it long ways to expose the slimy interior of the plant.</p><p>He motions for Stig to give him his injured hand without really thinking. And then he's gently holding Stig's hand.</p><p>His brain only buffers for a moment before he brings the aloe to the burn, carefully smearing it around to evenly coat the burn.</p><p>"Does it hurt?" Dunkleman asks without looking up. He's just looking at Stig's hand cupped between his own.</p><p>"It's much better." Stig's voice is too soft. "Thank you."</p><p>Dunkleman looks up, and immediately regrets it. His eyes are caught in Stig's. He feels like he accidentally caught Stig looking embarrassingly sweetly at him, but neither of them look away.</p><p>Stig's eyes start to close, and Dunkleman feels himself move closer. For a second, they both lean towards each other.</p><p>Dunkleman moves backwards so quickly it could almost be called a jump.</p><p>"Do you need help! With - uh - dinner?" Dunkleman stuttered out.</p><p>Stig blinked a couple times before he seemed to comprehend it.</p><p>"Oh, I'm, yes. Sure. Could you pull the bread out of the oven while I wash up?" Stig asked, still sounding a little dazed.</p><p>Dunkleman went to go get oven mitts quicker than could be considered normal.</p><p>The bread smelled divine. It was a perfectly delicious looking even golden brown.</p><p>They didn't say anything else until dinner was served and they had both sat down. </p><p>Dunkleman took one sip of the stew and nearly moaned.</p><p>"This is delicious. Thank you," Dunkleman said instead of embarrassing himself further.</p><p>He looked up to see Stig beaming.</p><p>"No, thank you!" Stig said, showing the pointer finger he burnt earlier. It was looking significantly less red.</p><p>It took Dunkleman a moment to respond. He hoped his cheeks weren't pink, even though they felt a bit hot.</p><p>"You're welcome," Dunkleman replied.</p><p>There was another long moment of awkward silence and eating. Dunkleman remembered the bread, and broke off a piece to dip in the stew.</p><p>This time he did moan.</p><p>The bread was warm under the hot stew. It was just the right softness to soak up the bread and feel like it was nearly melting in his mouth. There was garlic in the bread that seemed to perfectly complete the meal.</p><p>The second the moan left his lips he wanted to die.</p><p>"I - I am," Dunkleman hadn't even finished chewing, so he tried to swallow it quickly. "I am so sorry."</p><p>Stig's laugh sounded both shocking and soothing.</p><p>"I am just happy you like it. Do not be so..." Stig waved his hand trying to find the word.</p><p>Dunkleman breathed out, relaxing a bit. "Tense?"</p><p>"Yes! Tense." Stig nodded in agreement. "You are much more fun when you are not so - tense."</p><p>Dunkleman smiled and dipped another piece of bread into the stew.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Stig asked if Dunkleman wanted to watch a movie, his first instinct was to be relieved. Movies were casual. He'd watched plenty of totally normal platonic movies before. And popcorn's great.</p><p>What could go wrong?</p><p>Dunkleman started popping the popcorn while Stig cleaned up from dinner. He was leaning slightly forward, focused as to not miss the pops slow.</p><p>Which is why he must have missed Stig move from the sink to right next to him. Stig put a hand on his lower back before reaching past him to put a pot back in the cupboard above Dunkleman's head.</p><p>It was just his imagination that maybe his hand lingered a couple moments longer than was strictly necessary.</p><p>Dunkleman nearly missed it when the pops began to slow.</p><p>And nearly burnt his hand pulling it out of the microwave haphazardly.</p><p>"Yowch! Please don't be burnt please don't be - haha!" He pulled open the top of the bag to a puff of the deliciously buttery and non-burnt smell of popcorn.</p><p>The only warning he got before Stig snatched a piece off the top was his small laugh.</p><p>"Hey! You don't want to burn your fingers twice in one night do you?" Dunkleman complained good naturedly.</p><p>Stig's chuckle turned into a full laugh.</p><p>Dunkleman stuck his tongue out at him before leading the way to the living room.</p><p>He plopped onto the couch without much thought.</p><p>"So, what movie were you thinking?" Dunkleman asked, right before shoving some popcorn into his mouth.</p><p>He was jolted and lucky not to choke on any of the popcorn as Stig sat down directly next to him. To top it off, Stig casually slung an arm over the top of the couch behind Dunkleman.</p><p>"Something, ah, space-y maybe?" Stig stole some popcorn, and didn't quite finish chewing it all before continuing. "Star wars?"</p><p>When Stig leaned over for popcorn, his thigh touched flush against Dunkleman's. </p><p>Dunkleman hoped it didn't take him too long to answer. "Yeah! Great choice, have any preference on which one?" He payed close attention to the remote as he turned on the TV, not quite trusting himself to look at Stig.</p><p>"Nope, I haven't seen any of them," Stig said, while snatching another piece of popcorn.</p><p>"Not even the new ones?"</p><p>Stig shook his head, still chewing.</p><p>"Okay, so we're going to start on four. I know that sounds weird, but you watch four and five, then watch the prequels, I mean some people skip one entirely, but at least two and three, and then go back to six. And I mean if course we won't watch it all tonight but..." Dunkleman trailed off as he noticed Stig smiling at him. "What?"</p><p>"Nothing, nothing," Stig chuckled, but didn't stop looking at him. "It's just that when you explain things you move your hands a lot." He motioned with his hands.</p><p>Dunkleman hadn't noticed, but was about to say something when Stig shook his head.</p><p>"No! Ha, I didn't mean in a bad way, I just thought it was cute."</p><p>Stig was smiling at him and Dunkleman's head was saying cute cute cute cute and he knew he was blushing-</p><p>"So! How about that movie? I love movies!" Dunkleman said too quickly, staring very specifically at the tv.</p><p>"Sounds good to me." Stig only sounded like he was laughing a little bit.</p><p>Dunkleman put on the movie and promptly started nervously eating popcorn.</p><p>The popcorn both ended sooner than he had hoped and lasted longer than expected. For a few minutes he held the empty bag, but then made the partially unconscious decision to put it on the side table.</p><p>To the left of their couch was an old side table. It was nice because it held their remotes, drinks when you remembered a coaster, and trash when you didn't want to get up.</p><p>So, a bit out of instinct, Dunkleman reached over Stig to put the empty bag on the side table. No biggie, except the bag was there and he wasn't back in his seat.</p><p>He was leaning over Stig, caught looking into his eyes.</p><p>It was cheesy, it was stupid. Star Wars was making laser blaster noises in the background and Dunkleman was watching the lights play on Stig's face.</p><p>He should have just sat back down. That would make sense.</p><p>Instead he hooked his other leg over to Stig's other side. His knees were on the couch and he was straddling Stig.</p><p>What would make sense is if Stig pushed him away. Dunkleman could probably make some excuse. It wasn't too late.</p><p>Stig smiled. "Hi." It was barely a whisper, and he was looking right back at Dunkleman.</p><p>"Hi,"</p><p>Dunkleman had never kissed a boy before. He had only ever kissed one girl, even. And only once. Her name had been Sarah and it wasn't very good, seeing as he wasn't the most willing participant and her mouth was very wet.</p><p>He didn't remember leaning in, or how his hands got tangled in Stig's hair, but he was kissing him now.</p><p>It felt perfect and right and how had he not done this earlier? They were pushing against each other, mouths and bodies, everything eagerly. It seemed like happy fireworks were going off at every kiss.</p><p>Stig flipped him over onto his back, now straddling him against the couch, their lips barely leaving each other in the process.</p><p>"I really like you," He laughed breathily between kisses.</p><p>Dunkleman laughed. "Oh really? I hadn't noticed,"</p><p>Stig was somehow smirking and beaming when he said, "I guess I'll just have to show you then."</p><p>Dunkleman was laughing happily as Stig eagerly pressed kissed to the side of his lip, his cheek, his neck. As he tugged on his ear with his teeth, his hands slid under his shirt.</p><p>Dunkleman was smiling, kissing him back. He hooked his leg around Stig's, somehow pulling him even closer.</p><p>A phone buzzed under his back.</p><p>He groaned, really, really not wanting to stop.</p><p>Stig, ever the gentleman, pulled it out from under him while continuing to pepper his neck with light kisses.</p><p>Dunkleman grabbed the phone and stared at the slightly blinding brightness.</p><p>"Shiiit," he groaned.</p><p>Stig hummed questioningly against his neck.</p><p>"It's Mom. She's headed back and asking if we'll reheat some of the stew for her."</p><p>Stig's hum turned into a slightly more annoyed grumble.</p><p>Dunkleman chuckled. "I agree." He set down the phone and used the now free hand to cup Stig's face. He almost burst out laughing when he pulled it up to reveal the most adorable grumpy face he'd ever seen. "Continue this another time?"</p><p>Stig hummed in agreement, giving one last slow kiss before getting up.</p><p>When they were both up, Stig mumbled something in his mother language, probably because he was too polite to say cockblock in english.</p><p>Dunkleman had a good laugh at Stig's disheveled hair before he had a look at his own. They helped each other pat down odd cowlicks until deemed presentable.</p><p>Stig put on the stew to a simmer, helped greatly by Dunkleman stealing kisses here and there.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope y'all liked this one! It's been a while, but it always makes me so happy to see your comments everyone is so incredibly sweet! I literally wouldn't have written more than the first chapter without it haha<br/>Love y'all &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is for shits and giggles but I do love Stig's large himbo energy.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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